Budget Bill Medicare Clauses
Offer New Options and Fears

By

Nancy Ann Jeffrey Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal

Updated Aug. 13, 1997 12:01 a.m. ET

New Medicare provisions of the budget bill signed by President Clinton last week grant unprecedented freedom to wealthy seniors to spare no expense on their medical care. They also offer new alternatives for people worried about keeping their health costs down.

But consumer advocates are already concerned that some of the new options will allow doctors to hit seniors with big bills they may not expect and open the door to insurance...